


B-Sides and Rarities

by Storybook_Wolf



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Jonathan Byers has outstanding taste in music, Jonathan Byers is corny af, Long-Distance Relationship, Love Letters, Mixtape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 14:36:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21429814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storybook_Wolf/pseuds/Storybook_Wolf
Summary: Unlike Nancy, Jonathan isn't a writer. So when he wants to tell her how he feels, he decides to let some of his favourite songs do the talking. For day 2 of Jancy Week 2019, Mixtapes.
Relationships: Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16
Collections: Jancy Week 2019





	B-Sides and Rarities

13 March 1986

Dear Nancy,

Every time I get one of your beautiful, perfect letters and try write back to you, I’m just reminded how bad I am at putting my feelings into words. Would it be too much of a cop-out if I just wrote _I love you I love you I love you I love you_ over and over, till I’ve filled three sheets of paper? It’s tempting, but for now I’ll just stick to letting musicians speak for me. Yes, it’s another mixtape. But this time I’m going to explain why I picked each song.

Side A

“In Between Days” by The Cure – Because any song that ends with the words _without you_ repeating over and over is very relatable right now.

“Aikea-Guinea” by Cocteau Twins – I’ll be honest with you: I don’t actually understand any of the lyrics in this song. But the music is really beautiful and I thought you might like it.

“Answering Machine” by The Replacements – Because I also hate having to say “I love you” to an answering machine.

“This Must Be the Place” by The Talking Heads – Do you remember the afternoon we danced around your bedroom to this song? We played it four times in a row, until Mike banged on the wall and yelled at us to turn the stereo down. I know I’ve already put this on multiple mixtapes for you, but I don’t care.

“Suffragette City” by David Bowie – Because it’s physically impossible for me to make a mixtape without including at least one Bowie song.

Side B

“Rip It Up” by Orange Juice – The lines “And when I next saw you my heart reached out for you, but my arms stuck like glue to my sides” always make me think about how long it took me to let you know how I felt. I wish I’d been braver (and I’m still embarrassed that I owe so much to Murray and his vodka).

“Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush – There’s a poster of Kate on my bedroom wall here. If I squint, she kind of looks like you.

“Message to My Girl” by Split Enz – An alternative to writing _I love you I love you I love you_ repeatedly would be just writing out the lyrics to this song. That might be my next letter.

“No Promise Have I Made” by Husker Du – I just got their new album this week, and I’m obsessed with it. I know you’re not into punk music, but I wanted to share it with you, so I chose the least punk track on the album.

“Crazy For You” by Madonna – I know that I kind of whined about dancing to this song last year at junior prom, and I’m really sorry. I promise it won’t happen again. In fact, this year I will actually request it, so we can dance to it again. At your senior prom. Nancy Wheeler, will you go to prom with me? Because I’m coming to Hawkins for it! (I rang your mom and found out when it’s on. She said she’d talk to your dad about letting me stay in your basement, but I thought it might be better if I got a room at the Motel 6 – we can have our own afterparty.) I can’t wait to see you again. It’s been way too long. I miss you. I’m crazy for you.

Love,

Jonathan


End file.
